Taylor crashes out of UK Open

Phil Taylor's lacklustre start to 2014 continued as he was knocked out of the Coral UK Open by Aden Kirk on Friday night.

Television debutant Kirk clinched a 9-7 victory in the third round of the event at the Butlins Minehead Resort in one of the biggest upsets in the 11-year history of the event.

Taylor has lost four of his first five Premier League matches this year and was not able to find any relief at an event which he has won on five occasions.

Kirk, a 22-year-old factory worker from Nottingham, has progressed through the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour but is playing his first tournament on the big stage.

"I still can't believe it and it's a dream come true for me. I'd had a couple of tough games already and I played well just to get through to play Phil, which was my aim coming here," Kirk said.

Amazing

"But to beat him is amazing. Phil didn't play like he can do, but I took my chances and hit my doubles. My mum's a massive Phil Taylor fan and even she didn't think I'd beat Phil, but anything could happen now."

World champion Michael van Gerwen had no such problems as he raced to a 9-1 third-round win over James Hubbard, who defeated him in the final of the PDC World Youth Championship two years ago.

Van Gerwen will next play last year's runner-up Andy Hamilton, who came back from 4-0 down to defeat Jelle Klaasen 9-8.

Two-time UK Open champions James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld impressed in the third round, seeing off Michael Mansell and Mick Todd respectively.

Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting defied seven 180s from Kevin Dowling as he claimed a dramatic 9-8 victory, in which he took out 151 to save the match in the penultimate leg.

Peter Wright, Dave Chisnall and Adrian Lewis also made it through to the third round.